Letter from the Committee
April 2023
Dear Members,
For many years, our club has offered a tremendous value-for-money way to enjoy the sport. The annual membership fee is low, but when you add in the lack of court fees it represents unbeatable value. Anyone who has put a child through Saturday-morning squash has benefited not only from the incredible generosity of our volunteer coaches who give up their free-time each weekend, but also from the low, low fees for junior membership.
The low membership fees mean that the club never built up financial reserves to modernise the facilities, and it was really starting to show. People have an expectation of what a modern-day sports facility should look like and we fell some way short of that.
The club developed a Masterplan to completely modernise and refurbish the building so we could leave it in excellent condition for the next generation of players. At the time members pledged £60k of their own money in support of a grant application to raise the balance. Unfortunately the grant application was unsuccessful so the plan didn’t go ahead.
However, COVID grants for businesses affected by lockdowns gave the club enough cash to start the work. Around £40k of grants and club reserves has been spent on renewal of the electrical and hot water systems, building a new WC and refurbishing the changing rooms.
With one last push we can finish the plan and complete the transformation of the club. The remaining work will have the biggest impact – building a new social area behind an upgraded court 1 complete with glass back court. Attached is a document that gives details of the remaining refurbishment works we would like to complete this summer, subject to raising the funds – £40k.
We are writing to you to ask you to consider supporting this plan with your own money. Attached is a pledge form with information on two different funding options on offer (a tax-deductible charitable donation or a repayable loan).
Please take a look and give some real thought to how much you can pledge to your club – each according to their own circumstances. An average donation of £400 with Gift Aid per adult member will get us to the target – but donations large and small will make a difference!
Please fill out the Pledge Form and return it to the Club Treasurer before the 30/4/23. If the pledges meet the target we will request payment before the end of April so we can commit to the contractor to secure their labour this summer holiday.
Let’s leave a great legacy for the next generation. Please dig deep!
Stuart Elmes, Chair
On behalf of the Committee of Comberton Squash Club
Updating Your Club – Fit for the Next Fifty – Last Push
